Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council General Purpose Meeting - October 21, 2026

The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (CVMAC) held a general purpose meeting on October 21, 2026, beginning at 6:00 p.m. at the Castro Valley Library. The meeting included presentations on a proposed Unincorporated Housing Trust Fund, the county's Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Trails Master Plan update, and the Sheriff's Office Axon contract renewal. Public comments were heard on non-agenda items and during each agenda item. All agenda items were informational, with no formal votes taken except for approval of prior meeting minutes.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of September 21, 2026 Minutes: The council approved the minutes of the September 21, 2026 meeting with a vote of 5-0-2 (two abstentions).

Public Comments & Testimony

• Aaron Penfilio (Alameda County Fire): Provided follow-up on fire hazard severity zone questions from the previous meeting. Key points: new construction rules apply only to new builds; the hillside behind Fire Station 6 is owned by Castro Valley School District; the period to challenge FHSZ classifications has expired.
• Jen Pabst (CHP): Reported September statistics for unincorporated Castro Valley: 252 traffic citations, 12 DUI arrests, 16 injury crashes, 41 non-injury crashes; highlighted a pedestrian safety operation where 71 citations were issued for failing to yield to a pedestrian decoy.
• Luis Soto: Asked about relocating a speed control sign on Kral Canyon Road.
• Matt Turner: Raised concerns about a fire-damaged house on Queen Street, citing risk of toxic runoff into creeks and slow code enforcement response.
• Rolando Gonzalez (East Bay MUD): Announced a public meeting on October 27 for the Stanton Avenue pipeline replacement project.
• Pamela Glassoff (211 Alame da County): Supported the Housing Trust Fund, citing over 400 calls from Castro Valley zip codes for housing assistance in FY 2526.
• Dave Thompson (My Eden Voice): Supported the fund, noting that local cities have similar funds and unincorporated areas need dedicated resources.
• Kimberly Victorio (Eden United Church): Reported increasing food distribution numbers and urged support for the Housing Trust Fund.

Discussion Items

I. Findings and Recommendations for Establishing an Unincorporated Housing Trust Fund

• Presenter: Natalie Kim (Partnership for the Bay's Future) presented research on the need for a dedicated housing fund in unincorporated Alameda County. Key data: 51.5% of renters are cost-burdened; 1 in 3 expensive units fail habitability standards; median income ($63,400) far below home purchase threshold ($150,700). Proposed a $3 million initial fund ($2 million annually from Measure W, $1 million from local housing trust fund pending Prop 1) to preserve existing affordable housing. Four recommendations: create fund, manage through HCD, allocate Measure W seed funding, identify permanent revenue sources (bond, parcel tax, inclusionary fees, sales tax).
• Council Discussion: Members questioned data accuracy (especially the 1-in-3 habitability claim), geographic focus on Eden area vs. Castro Valley, and equity of new taxes when Measure W distributions to unincorporated areas are minimal. Vice Chair Moore expressed confusion about relevance to Castro Valley. Chair noted need for community vetting and involvement of all unincorporated areas.
• Public Comment: 211 Alameda County, My Eden Voice, and Eden United Church spokespersons urged support.

I. Alameda County Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Trails Master Plan Update

• Presenters: M arit oni Marav ill a (Pub lic Works) and Lauren Pepe (Tool Design Group) presented existing conditions analysis for Castro Valley: current bike network gaps (primarily class 2 and class 3), sidewal k gaps at community edges, crash clusters on Redwood Road and Castro Valley Boulevard (4 fatal, 12 severe injuries from 2021-2026). Goals include context-approp riate solutions, improved access to destinations, and connectivity.
• Council Discussion: Members raised concerns about coordination with downtown specific plan (not yet completed), e-bike regulation and enforcement, accuracy of existing infrastructure map, need for more detailed community involvement before implementation. Vice Chair Moore emphasized need for downtown plan first.
• Public Comment: Community members highlighted need for context-approp riate design (e.g., Grove Way corridor), better data on crash types, and stronger public process.

I. Axon Contract Renewal and Expansion

• Presenter: Captain Dan Brody (Alameda County Sheriff's Office) presented proposed renewal of the Axon Officer Safety Program (OSP 10) including: Taser 10 (range 45 feet, 10 probes), VR training, dash cameras (Axon Fleet), real-time translation (Axon Assistant), AI report writing (Draft One), policy chat, and enhanced 911 dispatch. Current contract ends August 2027; early renewal by January 2026 saves 21.5% on pricing. No accelerated payment required.
• Council Discussion: Members expressed strong support for the technology, praising benefits for accountability, training, and community engagement. Questions included impact on deputy time (reporting time reduced), licensing plate reader off feature, and deployment timeline. Vice Chair Moore noted value of technology in reducing lawsuits.
• No public comment.

Key Outcomes

• Minutes Approved: September 21, 2026 minutes approved (5-0-2).
• All agenda items are informational; no formal council action was taken on the Housing Trust Fund, Master Plan, or Axon contract. Presentations are expected to return to the Unincorporated Services Committee (Housing Trust Fund – December 2, 2026) and Board of Supervisors (Axon – December 2026). The Pedestrian/Bike plan will return to CVMAC in March/April 2027.
• Chair's Report: Councilmember announced a community meeting on incorporation of Castro Valley on October 22 at 6 p.m. in the same library room.
• Meeting adjourned at 9:13 p.m.